The Job Interview
by Jen K
Summary: Spoilers for The Dark Knight. What happened to Reese after the movie? One-shot.


**A/N: Spoilers for The Dark Knight. Thanks to Kayt for the beta!**

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The security guard nodded in his direction. The guard had never seemed to notice him before and Coleman Reese felt that he was definitely worth being noticed considering his standing in the firm. But then again, he would never actually have the audacity to confront the guard in order to make him think differently.

As he pushed through the revolving doors and exited to the street, he felt his arms grabbed from behind. His heart pounded and he struggled to break free, but these men had clearly done this before. The men calmly resisted his attempts to free himself. It was almost as if he glided to what Reese now realized was their destination: a black stretch limo.

One man let go of his arm, just for a second, long enough to open the limo door. Reese tried to use this opportunity to brake loose, but instead he found himself forced into the limo, face to face with Bruce Wayne.

Ironic, that Mr. Wayne didn't need thugs in suits to do his dirty work for him. Reese wondered if they knew the truth.

He doubted that he was going to kill him in the limo. If he'd wanted to, he could have had the thugs in suits kill him in some dark, deserted alley. Or maybe that's where they were headed? His heart pounded faster.

"Ah, Mr. Reese. Please have some champagne." Mr. Wayne cavalierly pointed to an uncorked bottle of champagne resting in an ice bucket with empty champagne flutes hanging on the side of the limo.

He could hardly believe that this man was really Batman. During the few meetings he'd had with Bruce Wayne working as a consultant, the billionaire mostly slept or interjected with some inappropriate or ignorant remark. But before he started working on the case, a partner in his firm pulled him aside to tell him the story of how Bruce Wayne retook his company.

"His strokes of brilliance might be rare but Wayne is quite capable," his boss informed him. "He shouldn't be underestimated, even if he prefers to waste his time boozing it up on yachts or playing polo or whatever else it is he does."

Coleman now knew the truth behind the "whatever else" and how much of the Mr. Wayne the world saw was really an act.

"Relax, Mr. Reese. I just want to talk," Bruce Wayne replied with a sly smile that did anything but help him relax. He'd seen enough movies to know that "talking" usually led to someone's body being thrown off a pier or into a ditch.

"I'm sorry!" Reese sputtered out, without thinking. He hadn't known what else to say and now it just sounded pathetic.

"For what? My Lamborghini?" Mr. Wayne feigned ignorance. "I'm having another one shipped over. Not to worry. It should arrive next week."

Reese was unsure how to answer.

"No, Mr. Reese, I want to offer you a job, triple what your current firm is paying you."

So he was finally going to take him up on his offer. Granted 10 million had only been an opening bid and he'd never expected to Wayne to match that. Negotiations were something Mr. Reese felt comfortable with and he felt more at ease as they slipped into familiar territory. He could deal with negotiations. Coleman replied, "In exchange for my silence?"

"No, no!" Mr. Wayne laughed. Then his voice deepened and his eye grew serious, "_That_ I expect for free."

The billionaire threw a file across the limo. Coleman looked at him and Mr. Wayne nodded, raising his eyebrows, suggesting that he should open it.

He read over the files. They were records from his work at earlier firms as well as his personal bank accounts.

"It appears that someone has a habit of skimming off the top?" Mr. Wayne smiled.

"There's not enough here to convict me!" He regretted it the moment it came out of his mouth. That statement was as good as a confession. This is why he wasn't a trial attorney.

"I know. You've got a true talent for covering your tracks and this took considerable digging. Which is why I want to hire you. I need someone with knowledge of the law and a willingness to engage in creative bookkeeping."

Reese gulped.

"The next time I want to redirect my company's money to more…_innovative_ projects, particularly those in research and development, I don't want to raise any more suspicions You looked closer than most and I was careless."

Reese was speechless. He looked over the files again and handed them back to Mr. Wayne. "And what if I don't accept your offer?" He stuttered as he said it and most definitely did not sound intimidating.

"It's your choice. Although I don't think your employers will be happy to know you have a history of cooking the books in your favor."

"You're a murderer. I've read the papers. Give me one reason why I shouldn't turn you in?" He regretted the threat as soon as it crossed his lips.

Wayne's voice deepened again and his eyes narrowed, "Things aren't always what they seem, Mr. Reese, and that's quite an accusation against someone who saved your life."

The car stopped and Mr. Wayne looked out the window, "We've reached your apartment. You start tomorrow morning at 8:00 AM."

He looked out the window in dismay. He hadn't been paying attention to where they were headed. Mr. Wayne seemed to read his thoughts.

"I keep an eye on all my employees. Particularly those who might be targeted for information, after making such preposterous claims as knowing the identity of the Batman. You wouldn't believe what people would do to you to force that kind of information out of you…and not for a single cent."

Wayne handed him a piece of paper.

"Here's the press release you've submitted to _Gotham Tribune. _You might want to familiarize yourself." Wayne smiled slyly. "You, being the heroic character that you are, agreed to cooperate with Commissioner Gordon's plan to draw out the joker by appearing on television claiming to know the identity of the Batman. Unfortunately it backfired. Commissioner Gordon will corroborate your story. Thanks to the generous security I provide to my employees, you shouldn't be bothered again."

Someone opened the door to the limo. Mr. Wayne stretched out his hand, "So, do we have a deal?"

Mr. Reese wasn't sure he had any other option. He reached across the limo and shook Bruce Wayne's hand.

It all happened so fast. As the limo door shut behind him, the full enormity of his situation sank in. Coleman Reese was working for the Batman starting at 8:00 AM tomorrow morning.


End file.
